Automatic viewer



June 27, 1967 l. w. cox 3,327,417

AUTOMAT I C VIEWER Filed June 15, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR.

INNES W. 00X

ATTORNEYS June 27, 1967 w, cox 3,327,417

AUTOMAT I C VIEWER Filed June 15, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

INNES W. 00X

BY H6. 3 4%m ATTORLLEYS June 27, L W COX AUTOMATIC VIEWER 4 Sheets-Sheet Filed June 15, 1965 INVENTOR.

INNES W. COX

ATTORNEYS June 27, 1967 Filed June 15, 1965 I. W. COX

AUTOMATIC VIEWER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 TIMER H6 C I60 FIG. 8

FIG. 7

INVENTOR.

INNES W. COX

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,327,417 AUTGMATIC VIEWER Innes W. Cox, Blanding, Utah (P-O. Box 8056, Albuquerque, N. Mex. 87168) Filed June 15, 1965, Ser. No. 464,148 13 Claims. (Cl. 40-416) This invention relates to an improved apparatus for automatically displaying advertising media in sequential relation and constitutes a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 311,606 filed Sept. 9', 1963, now abandoned.

Many places of business like to have changing window displays of some type exposed to the view of passers-by carrying advertising messages. Such displays, especially when illuminated, are much more effective to catch the viewers eye than a simple sign regardless of how clever it may be. The motion and the constantly changing message attract attention and usually hold it until the entire sequence begins to repeat.

There are, of course, many devices available which will present an illuminated series of advertisements, educational material and the like in sequential order; however, most of them employ some type of film strip projected from behind onto a rear projection screen. The versatility of such a unit leaves much to be desired. The film strips are changed infrequently, if at all, and much of the sales impact is lost because a customer will seldom stop to watch it a second time. Also, the apparatus is expensive in that projection lenses are needed which can enlarge a small transparency to a reasonable size and still preserve the quality of the image. Blowers are needed to keep the film from overheating and complex indexing mechanisms are required to keep the small transparencies registered properly on the screen. All things considered, the expense of such a unit coupled with their lack of versatility have contributed to their noticeable lack of success as a common advertising tool.

About the only other commercially-available type of changing display device is the so-called flip-over unit where the signs gradually rotate upwardly into view and then suddenly flop down to leave the next sign exposed. Once again, substitution of different signs or rearrangement thereof is difficult. Most of these units are noisy and tiresome to watch for any extended period of time. The message must be short because the inherent mechanical problems in such a unit make it difficult to keep a given sign exposed for any appreciable time interval.

It has now been found in accordance with the teaching of the instant invention that these and other problems present in the prior art devices for the same purpose as can be overcome through the use of a novel mechanism that engages and elevates a plurality of individual signs oneat-a-time into a viewing window, leaves them exposed for an interval of time sufiicient to read any length message, and then removes the sign to the back of the stack while simultaneously replacing it with another. All of the signs are both directly and indirectly illuminated from the back, thus eliminating any need for a projection system, anti-buckling devices and similar complexities. Most important, the signs can be removed, rearranged and added to instantly so that the user can continually present a fresh advertising message.

The construction of the mechanism is relatively simple, extremely compact and, of utmost significance, relatively foolproof and easy to operate. The power requirements are minimal and the unit is not one that can become hazardous if left unattended during non-business hours when displays of this type often find their widest audience.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved automatic sequential sign display unit.

A second objective is the provision of a mechanism of the type aforementioned that provides the user with a great deal of versatility in the advertising message he presents to the public.

Another object of the invention herein disclosed and claimed is to provide a novel ejection mechanism by means of which the sign moving into view is employed to trigger the ejector that removes the preceding sign to its position in back of the stack.

Still another objective is the provision of an illuminated changing display which eliminates all complex lighting apparatus, projection lenses, screens and film-advancing mechanisms in favor of a simple blower fanand system of chain devices and friction rollers to advance the several individual signs onto the viewing area.

An additional object of the instant invention is the provision of a self-contained sign-changing machine which can be plugged into any source of household current and operate completely unattended.

Further objects of the invention are the provision of a device of the character described that is lightweight, compact, versatile, easy to service, safe, rugged, portable, and decorative in appearance.

Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out specifically hereinafter in connection with the description of the drawings that follows, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical section taken along line 1-1 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 2 is a left-side elevational view of the operating mechanism with the case removed;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevation of the operating mechanism with the case removed;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse section to an enlarged scale taken along line 44 of FIGURE 3, portions of the shafts having been broken away to conserve space;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary section taken along line 5--5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a front elevation to a reduced scale;

FIGURE 7 is a front elevation of the sign alone; and,

FIGURE 8 is a schematic circuit diagram of the electrical hook-up.

Referring now to the drawings for a detailed description of the present invention and, initially, to FIGURES 1 and 6 for this purpose, it will be seen that the entire operating mechanism which has been broadly designated by reference numeral It) is mounted within a box-like housing 12 that includes a removable rear wall 14, right and left sidewalls 16 and 18, respectively, a bottom 20, a top 22 and a partial front wall 24. The bottom 20 is provided with feet 26 adapted to support same on a flat horizontal surface and the top has a carrying handle 28. Partial front wall 24 covers approximately the lower half of the unit and behind this wall is provided a magazine compartment 39 wherein the signs 32 are stored. The upper half of the housing comprises the viewing area 34 covered by a window 36 behind which is a translucent frame 38. Suitable decorative moldings are provided on the front of the housing which also function, in some instances, to retain the panel 24 and window 36.

The operating mechanism 10 is most clearly revealed in FIGURES 1-5, inclusive, to which specific reference will now be made. A pair of vertically-disposed sideplates 40 are held in fixed spaced parallel relation by three horizontal tie rods 42 bolted to said sideplates at the front and rear corners at the bottom and in the center at the top.

Extending horizontally in spaced relation above the bottom of the chassis and at the front thereof is a drive shaft 44 journalled for rotation within sleeve bearings 46 mounted within the sideplates. The right extremity of drive shaft 44 as viewed in FIGURE 3 from the front attaches to small electric motor 48 which is mounted outside the adjacent sideplate 40. The left end of this shaft projects through the left sideplate and has a sprocket gear 50 mounted thereon. Shaft 44 also has mounted thereon a pair of longitudinally-spaced friction rollers 52 located inwardly of the sideplates.

A second driven shaft 54 is journalled for rotation in vertically-spaced parallel relation beneath drive shaft 44 and is operatively connected to the latter through sprocket 56 and sprocket chain 58. This driven shaft also carries a pair of friction rollers 60 mounted directly underneath rollers 52.

Attached to the inside of both sideplates 40 near the bottom thereof are upwardly and rearwardly inclined guide blocks 62 which terminate behind the shafts 44 and 54 as shown most clearly in FIGURE 1. Resting on these inclined guide blocks are the bottom edges of a plurality of signs 32 stacked one behind the other. As shown in FIGURE 7, each of these signs is of a uniform shape and size and includes sizable notches 64 cut in the side edges thereof.

Mounted above the lower set of guide blocks 62 is a second set thereof 66 which are somewhat shorter so that their rear ends terminate ahead of the corresponding ends of blocks 62 and their front rounded ends 68 terminate well behind a vertical plane tangent to the back side of friction rollers 52 and 60. The upper inclined edges 70 and 72, respectively, are essentially parallel to one another as shown in FIGURE 1.

Now, as each of the signs 32 drops back down from the viewing compartment 34 in the upper half of the housing into the magazine compartment thereof in a manner which will be explained presently, the rear face is engaged by vertically spaced pairs of light leaf springs 74 and 76 which cooperate with one another to bias the sign forwardly onto the inclined tracks formed by the upper edges 70 and 72 of the guide blocks. These springs are secured to the sideplates by suitable mounting elements 78. The forward pressures exerted on the signs presses the front face thereof against the rear edges 80 of upper guide blocks 66 which edge is provided with a slight rearward inclination as seen in FIGURE 1. The signs drop until notches 64 in their side edges register with the upper guide blocks; whereupon, they move forwardly and downwardly along the tracks formed on the upper edges of all of the blocks until they come to a stop at the rear of the stack already there. The magazine is loaded initially in the same manner although more than one sign can be introduced at a time.

The inclined nature of the guide blocks keeps the signs from falling over backwards and, in addition, biases them forwardly against friction rollers 52 and 66. These rollers turn clockwise as viewed in FIGURE 1 and cooperate with one another to engage and very slowly elevate the forwardmost sign of the stack upwardly toward the viewing area as indicated in dotted lines in FIGURE 1.

Now, before the lower edge of the front sign loses contact with upper friction roller set 52, the upper edge thereof is gripped between roller pairs 82 and 84 disposed at the entrance to the viewing compartment.

The larger friction rollers 84 are mounted on a second drive shaft 86 journalled between the sideplates in horizontal position approximately halfway to the top and essentially mid-way from front to rear. The right extremity of this shaft is connected exteriorly of the sideplate to the output of speed reducer 88 which is mounted as shown in FIGURE 3. The input to the speed reducer connects to one end of electric motor drive shaft 90, the other end of which is provided with a fan blade 92 adapted to exhaust air from inside the cabinet or housing out through a grill in the right sidewall 16 that has not been shown in the drawings. The second electric motor 94 operates in dependently of motor 48 and its exclusive functions are to operate the fan and turn shaft 86 through reducer 88.

Shaft 86 does not connect to anything but the large diameter rollers 84 carried on said shaft. Rollers 84 frictionally engage rollers 82 aligned therewith on shaft 96 which is journalled for rotation in horizontally-spaced relation immediately in front thereof. Thus, rollers 84 which turn counterclockwise as viewed in FIGURE 1 turn rollers 82 and shaft 96 clockwise and will cooperate with one another to feed a sign vertically up into the incoming area 34.

The driven shaft 96 is journalled for rotation in generally rectangular bearing blocks 98 whose top and bottom edges are provided with grooves 100 extending from front to rear thereof that receive the edges of rectangular notches 102 provided in the front margins of sideplates 40. The above-described construction permits shaft 96 to move horizontally toward and away from shaft 86 and this occurs whenever a sign passes between roller pairs '82 and 84. Leaf spring elements 104 attached to the outside of the sideplates 40 by means of connectors 106 bear against pins 108 projecting from the bearing blocks 98 and bias them into the notches 102 so that the roller sets 82 and 84 are held in tight frictional contact with one another. In FIGURE 1 it will be noted that the large diameter rollers 84 comprise a metal grooved wheel 110 bordered by a rubber tire 112 to provide them with the necessary structural rigidity. The smaller friction rollers, on the other hand, can be all rubber as shown.

Mounted on the outside of left sideplate 40 of the chassis is a normally-open micro switch 114, the operator 116 of which is held closed by a second pin 118 projecting from the bearing block when the latter is biased rearwardly to place rollers 82 in contact with rollers 84. Then, when a sign passes between roller pairs 82 and '84 moving shaft 96 forwardly away from shaft 86 against the bias of springs 104, switch arm 116 is released allowing switch 114 to assume its normally-open position. With brief reference to FIGURE 8, it will be seen that switch 114 is connected in series with a lamp 118 which represents the entire illumination system housed within the viewing compartment. Obviously, as soon as switch 114 is released to open position, the lamps go out and this takes place while one sign leaves its position behind window 36 and another one takes its place. The lamps re main extinguished until the lower edge of the incoming sign leaves rollers 82 and 84 and they can move back into contact with one another thus closing switch 114 under the bias of springs 104. In fact, the light-s will remain extinguished even though switch 114 recloses if a second micro switch 120 on the back side of the unit still has its operator 122 released into open position by the action of the exiting sign passing down between rollers 84 and still another pair of friction rollers 124 as will be explained in detail presently.

Shaft 96 turns continuously because its rollers 82 are either being engaged by rollers 84 or a sign moving upwardly in contact therewith. The projecting left end of this shaft 96, therefore, is provided with a sprocket'126 that functions as a continuously-driven element of a drive train. Mounted directly above shaft 96 in vertically-spaced parallel relation thereto is a shaft 128 that carries small friction rollers 130 similar to rollers 82. Rollers 1'30 make no contact with rollers 82 or 84 (FIGURES 1 and 3) though they are aligned therewith. Shaft 128 is journalled in bearing blocks 98 identical to those provided for shaft 96 and is also mounted for horizontal movement in a second set of notches 102, in the front edges of the sideplates. Furthermore, identicalsprings 104 fastened to connectors 106 bias the bearing blocks and shaft 128, journalled therein rearwardly.

Shaft 128 also carries a sprocket 132 on its left extremity which is connected to sprocket 12 6 by chain 134 that forms a driving connection with shaft 96. Shaft 128 together with its rollers 130 turn clockwise as viewed in FIGURE 1 as do rollers 82.

Now, immediately behind shaft 128 an idler shaft 136 is journalled for rotation in horizontally-spaced parallel relation. This idler shaft performs a unique function in 1. connection with removing a sign already in the display area preparatory to placing another one in position to b viewed. Idler shaft 136 carries spaced along its length a plurality of friction rollers 138 that are misaligned with respect to rollers 130, yet, which will cooperate therewith to frictionally engage opposite faces of a sign moving therebetween. Actually, the combined radii of rollers 138 and 130 is slightly greater than the distance separating the axes of shafts 136 and 128 when the latter is biased all the way to the rear of notches 192. A sign can, of course, still move between these rollers due to the yieldable mounting provided for shaft 128. More important, however, is that these rollers 13!) and 138 ccoperate with one another to define a generally V-shaped track 140 (FIGURE 1) when viewed from either side, and this track supports the bottom edge of the sign in position to be viewed through window '36.

Now, looking specifically at FIGURE 1, it can be seen that the upper edge of a sign being raised into viewing position will leave roller sets 82 and 84 and enter between rollers 130 and 138. Before the sign reaches the upper sets of rollers, rollers 130 are turning clockwise continuously by virtue of the sprocket chain drive from shaft 96, however, idler shaft 136 and its rollers 138 are stopped. The instant the sign enters between rollers 130 and 138, on the other hand, shaft 136 and rollers 138 mounted thereon begin to rotate counter clockwise carrying the bottom edge of a sign resting in groove 140 up and rearwardly over the top thereof before dropping it down onto the top of large rollers 84. In other words, the incoming sign activates rollers 138 on idler shaft 136 to remove the sign on display.

Next, the bottom edge of the incoming sign moves above rollers 130 and 138 thereby removing the operative connection therebetween which allows rollers 138 to stop turning. Once rollers 138 stop, rollers 130 which continue to turn clockwise engage the bottom edge of the sign and hold it within V-shaped groove 140 until the next sign arrives.

The tendency of rollers 130 to carry the bottom edge of a sign seated in groove 140 forwardly up over the top thereof is offset by two other sets of spring assemblies 7478 mounted alongside frame 38 in position to engage the front face of the sign outside the exposed area thereof and bias same rearwardly. A pair of downwardly and rearwardly inclined guide blocks 142 similar to blocks 66 are fastened to the inside of sideplates 40 with the front edges 144 positioned to engage the rear face of an incoming sign and prevent same from tilting reawardly until the upper edge thereof can contact the cam surfaces 146 on elements 148 that steer the sign up against the rear face of frame 38. Elements 148 are fastened to the sideplates near the top thereof and remain in engagement with the top of the sign while the bottom edge rests in groove 140, springs 74 functioning to hold the sign in the display position. At this point the notches 64 in the side edges of the sign are aligned with rearwardly and downwardly inclined blocks 142.

All the time a sign is held in stationary position within frame 38 and behind window 36, switch 114 is held closed and lamps 118 mounted behind the sign in sockets 150 are on and illuminating the front face indirectly by transmitting light through the translucent material from which the frame is fabricated. If desired, the signs may also be formed from the same or a similar translucent material in which case they will be back-lighted directly by the lamps. Also, all during the interval a sign remains on display, a second sign is slowly being elevated by motor 48 up past rollers 52 and 60 which will ultimately insert same between rollers 82 and 84 that take over and pass it to rollers 130 and 138. Once rollers 130 and 138 grip the sign, they immediately turn off the lamps and begin ejecting the sign already on display while continuing to move the one gripped therebetween into display position.

The ejection cycle has already been alluded to briefly but a more complete analysis thereof is in order. Actuation of idler rollers 138 counter-clockwise in FIGURE 1 carries the lower margin of the sign up over the top thereof and pivots the top sign margin on cam elements 148. This action places guide blocks 142 in notches 64 thus supporting the sign and preventing it from falling forward. As the sign slides down top edge 152 (FIGURE 1) of the guide blocks, it leaves rollers 138 and, one again, comes into contact with the top of large rollers 84 which are turning counter-clockwise and carry it on back to a position where .it will be picked up between rollers 84 and 12.4. Stops 154 engage the rear face of the exiting sign and prevent same from overshooting rollers 124.

Rollers 124 are mounted on a shaft 156 journalled within still another identical set of slidable bearing blocks 98 that move back and forth within notches 162. in the rear edge of the sideplates 40. The construction and mounting of shaft 156 is identical in all respects to that of shaft 96 which has already been described in detail, and for this reason, need not be repeated. Even the same type of leaf spring assemblies 104-106 engagepins 168 on the bearing blocks 98 and bias rollers 124 into frictional contact with large diameter rollers 84 except on the back side thereof. The shafts 86, 96 and 156 are preferably coplanar as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 with shafts 96 and 156 spaced horizontally from shaft 86 the same distance but in opposite directions.

Shaft 124 carries a sprocket 157 on its left end around which chain 134 is reaved to drive same continuously in a. clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 1. Chain 134 passes around sprockets 132 and 126 in addition to 157. Shafts 156, 128 and 96 all are mounted for movement to-and-fro, therefore, slack must be left in chain 134 to accommodate this movement.

The operator 122 of second normally-open micro switch is biased into closed position by a pin 108 carried by the bearing blocks whenever springs 104 are holding rollers 124 in contact with rollers 84. As soon, however, as an exiting sign moves between these roller pairs and shifts the shaft 156 rearwardly against the bias of springs 104, switch operator 122 will be released by pin 168 to open position thereby deenergizing the lamp circuit and turning off the lamps. At this point, another sign will already be in display position and switch 114 will have reclosed; however, as long as the exiting sign is still moving down across the light source, the lamps should remain off or a jumbled composite of the two back-lighted signs will be visible to the viewer. The present arrangement, on the other hand, keeps the lamps extinguished until the exiting sign has cleared the viewing area. Once the exiting sign has dropped from between rollers 84 and 124 into the magazine compartment, switch 1211 again closes and the lights go back on.

This completes the operating cycle which can be seen to go on continuously. The signs can be added to, rearranged and eliminated at the will of the user by merely removing the front of the cabinet and making the desired changes. The signs are rectangular as shown in FIGURE 7 with the advertising message imprinted on the face thereof. The frame 38 has an opening 158 therein sized smaller than the sign as shown in FIGURE 6 thus masking the notched side edges.

Finally, with brief reference once again to FIGURE 8, it will be seen that both switches 120 and 114 are connected in series with the source of illumination 118 and also, if desired, with a clock timer 160. This timer is of the conventional type that can be set to close the lamp circuit at a given time after darkness has fallen and to open same again at dawn or sooner when most potential viewers have left the area. Both motors 48 and 94 are wired in parallel with one another across the lamp circuit so that both continue to run as long as said circuit is energized even though one or both of the switches are open.

Having thus described the several useful and novel features of the display device of the present invention, it will be seen that the many worthwhile objects for which it was designed have been achieved. Although but a single specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described herein, I realize that certain changes and improvements therein may well occur to those skilled in the art within the broad teaching hereof; hence, it is my intention that the scope of the protection afiorded hereby shall be limited only insofar as said limitations are expressly set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic device for displaying a plurality of individual signs one-at-a-time in sequential relation which comprises: a box-like cabinet having a sign storage magazine in the lower half thereof and a sign display area in the upper half, said upper half including a large opening in its front face behind which the signs are displayed; a pair of vertical sideplates fastened in horizontallyspaced parallel relation to one another; first friction drive means located in the sign storage magazine operative to elevate signs one-at-a-time from a stack thereof arranged one behind the other, said means including at least one horizontal shaft journalled for rotation between the sideplates, a motor connected thereto and at least one friction roller mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith; sign stacking and feeding means located in the sign storage magazine behind the first friction means, said stacking and elevating means including a downwardly and forwardly inclined track positioned to support the bottom edges of a stack of signs arranged one behind the other and urge the front sign of said stack against said first friction drive means; second friction drive means located between the sign storage magazine and the display area adapted to receive signs elevated thereto by the first friction drive means and raise same into display position in the viewing area, said means including a horizontal drive shaft journalled for rotation in fixed position between the sideplates approximately midway between the front and rear edges thereof, at least one friction roller mounted on said drive shaft for rotation therewith, a second motor connected in driving relation to said drive shaft, a pair of driven shafts journalled for rotation in horizontally-spaced parallel relation to said drive shaft, one of said driven shafts being positioned in front of said drive shaft and the other behind same, journals carrying the ends of the driven shafts mounted in the sideplates for horizontal movement toward and away from the drive shaft, at least one roller carried by each driven shaft for rotation therewith in position to frictionally engage and form a driving connection with the drive shaft roller when biased into contact with one another, the front driven shaft roller and drive shaft roller cooperating to engage opposite faces of a sign and pass same upwardly therebetween, and the rear driven shaft roller cooperating with the drive shaft roller to engage opposite faces of a sign leaving the display area and return same to the sign storage magazine, spring means normally biasing the driven shaft rollers into driving engagement with the drive shaft roller, and power transmission means operatively interconnecting the driven shafts so as to turn both in the same direction and at the same speed whenever one of said driven shafts is turning by reason of its roller being in contact with the drive shaft roller or a moving sign; third friction drive means located in the display area above the second friction drive means in position to accept an ascending sign therefrom, said third friction drive means functioning to hold a sign in display position during the interval required for a second sign to reach the second friction drive means and also to eject the sign in display position, said third friction drive means including a driven shaft journalled for rotation in vertically-spaced parallel relation to the front driven shaft of the second friction drive means and operatively connected to the power transfer means of the latter for rotation in the same direction and at the same speed as the driven shafts thereof, journals carrying the ends of said driven shaft mounted in the sideplates for horizontal back and forth movement, spring means normally biasing said driven shaft rearwardly, at least one friction roller mounted on said driven shaft for rotation therewith, an idler shaft journalled for rotation in horizontally-spaced parallel relation behind the driven shaft, and at least one friction roller mounted on said idler shaft for rotation therewith in misaligned position relative to the driven shaft roller, said driven shaft and idler shaft rollers cooperating to define a horizontally-disposed transverselyextending generally V-shaped groove therebetween adapted to receive the bottom edge of a sign and support same in display position behind the viewing opening as long as said idler shaft is not turning, said driven shaft roller cooperating with an ascending sign passing therebehind to complete a driving connection to the idler shaft as said sign moves up in rolling engagement with the idler shaft roller and said idler shaft roller functioning upon rotation of the idler shaft to eject a sign in display position within the V-shaped groove by carrying said sign rearwardly up over the top thereof and dropping it down onto the second friction drive means in position to be picked up between the drive shaft roller and rear driven shaft roller of the latter means; and, guide means located in the sign storage magazine beneath the second drive means in position to receive a sign descending therefrom and position same at the rear of the stack, said means including spring elements positioned to engage the rear face of a sign descending from between the drive shaft roller and rear driven shaft roller of the second drive means and bias same forwardly onto the inclined track of the sign stacking and feeding means.

'2. The sign display device as set forth in claim 1 which includes: sign illuminating means positioned in the display area; means for connecting said illuminating means to a source of electrical energy; and, first switch means connected in series with the illuminating means operative to extinguish the latter upon forward movement of the front driven shaft of the second friction drive as the sign passes therebehind.

3. The sign display device as set forth in claim 1 in which: the first friction drive means includes a second shaft journalled fo rotation in vertically-spaced relation to the first of said shafts, at least one friction roller mounted on said second shaft for rotation therewith, and power transfer means operatively connecting the two shafts for rotational movement in the same direction and at the same speed.

4. The sign displace device as set forth in claim 1 in which: the drive shaft roller of the second friction drive means is of substantially greater diameter than the idler shaft roller of the thirdfriction drive means, said idler shaft roller is positioned above and slightly forward of said drive shaft roller so that a sign leaving the display area will be released by said idler shaft roller onto the top of said drive shaft roller, and said drive shaft roller will carry the lower edge of a sign resting thereon back to the rear driven shaft roller of the second friction drive means.

5. The sign display device as set forth in claim 1 in which: the second and third friction drive means turn at a speed faster than the first friction drive means so that a sign engaged by said second friction drive means will be elevated quickly into the display area and remain on view during the interval required for said first friction drive means to deliver another sign to said second drive means.

6. The sign display device as set forth in claim 1 which includes: a plurality of rectangular relatively rigid signs loaded into the sign stacking and feeding means, said sign each having notches in the sides thereof; and in which, said sign stacking and feeding means includes a pair of downwardly and forwardly inclined guides fastened to the sideplates in position to enter thhe notches in the sides of the signs and prevent them from tipping rearwardly While guiding the same against the first friction drive means.

7. The sign display device as set forth in claim 1 which includes: cam-forming elements located in the top of the display area and in the path of a sign being elevated into display position, said elements including upwardly and forwardly inclined cam surfaces adapted to engage the upper edge of an incoming sign and move it forward into position directly behind the viewing opening.

8. The sign display device as set forth in claim 1 which includes: stop means located in the rear of the display area and in the path of a sign being discharged therefrom, said stops being positioned to guide the rearwardly-moving signs into position between the drive shaft roller and rear driven shaft roller of the second friction drive means.

9. The sign display device as set forth in claim 1 which includes: a plurality of rectangular relatively rigid signs loaded into the sign stacking and feeding means, each of said signs having notches in the side edges thereof; and in which, a pair of downwardly and rearwardly inclined guide elements are mounted on the side-plates in the display area, said guide elements being aligned with the notches in a sign being discharged therefrom and functioning to prevent same from tipping forwardly as the bottom edge thereof is carried rearwardly on the idler shaft roller of the third drive means and the drive shaft roller of the second friction drive means.

10. The sign display device as set forth in claim 2 which includes: second switch means connected in series with the illuminating means and the first switch means,

said second switch means being operative to extinguish the illumination means upon rearward movement of the rear driven shaft of the second friction drive means as a sign passes in front thereof.

11. The display device as set forth in claim 2 in which: the illumination means is located in the display area behind the opening so as to back-light a sign on display.

12. The display device as set forth in claim 2 in which: the switch means is of the normally-open type and is fastened to one of the sideplates in the path of the journal for the front driven shaft of the second friction drive means mounted in said sideplate, the spring means of the second friction drive means normally biasing said journal against said switch means to hold it closed except when a sign is passing between the front driven shaft roller and drive shaft roller.

13. The display device as set forth in claim 6 in which: the signs are translucent, and in which, illuminating means are provided in the back of the display area in position to backlight a sign on display.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 650,410 5/1900 Morin 27136 1,258,750 3/1918 Davis 4079 X 2,060,030 11/1936 Heath 4036' 2,449,825 9/ 1948 Strauss 40 36 2,696,688 12/ 1954 Helgeson 40-78 2,979,330 4/ 1961 Weber 271-36 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

W. GRIEB, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN AUTOMATIC DEVICE FOR DISPLAYING A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL SIGNS ONE-AT-A-TIME IN SEQUENTIAL RELATION WHICH COMPRISES: A BOX-LIKE CABINET HAVING A SIGN STORAGE MAGAZINE IN THE LOWER HALF THEREOF AND A SIGN DISPLAY AREA IN THE UPPER HALF, SAID UPPER HALF INCLUDING A LARGE OPENING IN ITS FRONT FACE BEHIND WHICH THE SIGNS ARE DISPLAYED; A PAIR OF VERTICAL SIDEPLATES FASTENED IN HORIZONTALLYSPACED PARALLEL RELATION TO ONE ANOTHER; FIRST FRICTION DRIVE MEANS LOCATED IN THE SIGN STORAGE MAGAZINE OPERATIVE TO ELEVATE SIGNS ONE-AT-A-TIME FROM A STACK THEREOF ARRANGED ONE BEHIND THE OTHER, SAID MEANS INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE HORIZONTAL SHAFT JOURNALLED FOR ROTATION BETWEEN THE SIDEPLATES, A MOTOR CONNECTED THERETO AND AT LEAST ONE FRICTION ROLLER MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT FOR ROTATION THEREWITH; SIGN STACKING AND FEEDING MEANS LOCATED IN THE SIGN STORAGE MAGAZINE BEHIND THE FIRST FRICTION MEANS, SAID STACKING AND ELEVATING MEANS INCLUDING A DOWNWARDLY AND FORWARDLY INCLINED TRACK POSITIONED TO SUPPORT THE BOTTOM EDGES OF A STACK OF SIGNS ARRANGED ONE BEHIND THE OTHER AND URGE THE FRONT SIGN OF SAID STACK AGAINST SAID FIRST FRICTION DRIVE MEANS; SECOND FRICTION DRIVE MEANS LOCATED BETWEEN THE SIGN STORAGE MAGAZINE AND THE DISPLAY AREA ADAPTED TO RECEIVE SIGNS ELEVATED THERETO BY THE FIRST FRICTION DRIVE MEANS AND RAISE SAME INTO DISPLAY POSITION IN THE VIEWING AREA, SAID MEANS INCLUDING A HORIZONTAL DRIVE SHAFT JOURNALLED FOR ROTATION IN FIXED POSITION BETWEEN THE SIDEPLATES APPROXIMATELY MIDWAY BETWEEN THE FRONT AND REAR EDGES THEREOF, AT LEAST ONE FRICTION ROLLER MOUNTED ON SAID DRIVE SHAFT FOR ROTATION THEREWITH, A SECOND MOTOR CONNECTED IN DRIVING RELATION TO SAID DRIVE SHAFT, A PAIR OF DRIVEN SHAFTS JOURNALLED FOR ROTATION IN HORIZONTALLY-SPACED PARALLEL RELATION TO SAID DRIVE SHAFT, ONE OF SAID DRIVEN SHAFTS BEING POSITIONED IN FRONT OF SAID DRIVE SHAFTS AND THE OTHER BEHIND SAME, JOURNALS CARRYING THE ENDS OF THE DRIVEN SHAFTS MOUNTED IN THE SIDEPLATES FOR HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE DRIVE SHAFT, AT LEAST ONE ROLLER CARRIED BY EACH DRIVEN SHAFT FOR ROTATION THEREWITH IN POSITION TO FRICTIONALLY ENGAGE AND FORM A DRIVING CONNECTION WITH THE DRIVE SHAFT ROLLER WHEN BIASED INTO CONTACT WITH ONE ANOTHER, THE FRONT DRIVEN SHAFT ROLLER AND DRIVE SHAFT ROLLER COOPERATING TO ENGAGE OPPOSITE FACES OF A SIGN AND PASS SAME UPWARDLY THEREBETWEEN, AND THE REAR DRIVEN SHAFT ROLLER COOPERATING WITH THE DRIVE SHAFT ROLLER TO ENGAGE OPPOSITE FACES OF A SIGN LEAVING THE DISPLAY AREA AND RETURN SAME TO THE SIGN STORAGE MAGAZINE, SPRING MEANS NORMALLY BIASING THE DRIVEN SHAFT ROLLERS INTO DRIVING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE DRIVE SHAFT ROLLER, AND POWER TRANSMISSION MEANS OPER- 